GUWAHATI: Twenty stations in Northeast Frontier Railway have identified for placement of COVID care centres as part of the Indian Railways’ sustained fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nominated stations are Agartala, Alipurduar junction, Ambasa, Badarpur, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Kamakhya, Katihar, Lumding, New Bongaigaon, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, New Tinsukia, Rangapara North, Rangiya, Silchar, Mariani, Murkongselek, New Alipurduar and Siliguri stations, a statement issued here said.
The ministry of railways has converted 5231 coaches into COVID care centres. These coaches can be used for very mild cases that can be clinically assigned to the COVID care centres in accordance with the guidelines issued by the health ministry.
The coaches can be used in areas where the state has exhausted the facilities and needs to augment capacities for isolation of both suspects and confirmed COVID cases.
The guidelines issued by the health ministry regarding the use of such coaches will be strictly followed upon by both the Railway and state government authorities.
Apart from COVID care centres, Indian Railways will deploy more than 2500 doctors and 35000 paramedic staff to meet the COVID-19 challenge. Doctors and paramedics are being recruited on a temporary basis by various zones.
Around 5,000 beds in 17 dedicated hospitals and 33 hospital blocks in railway hospitals identified for treatment of COVID-19 patients are getting ready for any contingency.